The purpose of this review was to identify the frequency and impact of myths and misconceptions about insulin therapy among Latino patients with diabetes. Myths are part of any culture, but can represent a strong barrier in day-today diabetes management. Methods: Articles from the last 22 years (1992-2014) were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Proquest and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Publications for this review included those that studied Latino or Hispanic patients with diabetes and were related to myths and/or misconceptions about insulin therapy. Results: Twelve articles about misconceptions and myths related to insulin therapy in Latinos or Hispanics with diabetes met the inclusion criteria. All of them evaluated misconceptions about insulin therapy using different types of interviews and questionnaires. Negative attitudes about insulin therapy were highly prevalent among Latino patients. Many considered that insulin therapy was related to a negative lifestyle. Most patients feared to initiate insulin therapy and believed insulin was associated with a more advanced stage of diabetes. Blindness, amputation and dialysis were frequently considered a consequence of starting insulin therapy. Conclusion: Misconceptions and myths about insulin therapy prevail in a large number of Latino/Hispanic patients with diabetes. They constitute important barriers when planning to start insulin therapy and may potentially jeopardize their health. Comprehensive educational programs for Latino patients with diabetes must include sessions to identify and address the presence of these misconceptions. At the same time, all health care providers caring for Latino patients with diabetes must be aware of the high prevalence of these well embedded cultural beliefs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.